Marshall University Athletics
Softball
Lyon, Corey
Corey Lyon
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- lyonc@marshall.edu
- Phone:
- 3279
Corey Lyon completed his fifth season in 2022-23 with the Herd after being named assistant coach on Aug. 8, 2018.
Lyon’s tenure with Marshall has been a display in power hitting fireworks.The 2023 Herd led the Sun Belt Conference in batting average (.333), OBP (.421), scoring (6.42 runs per game), triples per game (0.35), walks (201). The Herd saw the league's top two batting average leaders with Autumn Owen and Alex Coleman. Owen was the league's triple crown winner, leading the SBC in average (.444), home runs (19), and runs batted in (71).
Over the previous four seasons, from 2021-23 the Herd has mashed 252 home runs (63.00 per season) and 273 doubles (68.25 per season) in just 175 games. That is an average of 1.44 bombs per game and 1.56 doubles per game. Aly Harrell and Mya Stevenson were in a friendly race in the team home run charts, chasing four-time All-American Rachel Folden. Stevenson won the race and broke Folden's record when Stevenson belted her 59th career bomb in a comeback win over Charlotte in the Conference USA Tournament. Over the last four years, Marshall has scored a total of 1,043 runs, an average of 5.96 per game, as well as a team slugging percentage of .541.
Getting back to a full season in 2022, the Herd was back over 30 wins again with 35, and right back to setting records. Marshall ranked in the top 20 in the nation in seven different categories (also led the league in the same) ranking eighth in doubles per game (1.68), eighth in on base percentage (.412), 12th in batting average (.321), 13th in slugging percentage (.554), 14th in doubles (89), 16th in runs per game (6.13) and 19th in home runs per game (1.42). The Herd broke or tied 19 total records. As a team, the Herd set the all-time single-season program highs for slugging percentage, on base percentage and doubles. Single-game marks that fell this season were the most doubles in a game with seven vs. Middle Tennessee (3/27), hits in a single inning with 10 against Purdue Fort Wayne (3/3), hit-by-pitches with five vs. Howard (2/26) and tied the record for most hits in a game with 19 against Charlotte (4/2). Saige Pye tied the season record for home runs with 20 while Aly Harrell set the mark for on base percentage (.606) and was second in the NCAA in on base percentage only trailing Jocelyn Alo (.646). In three years with Marshall, Saige Pye thrived under Coach Lyon after she transferred from Georgia Tech. Pye's career at Marshall lasted just 103 games however she bat .398 (4th at MU), had 130 hits, 34 home runs (5th at MU), 102 RBI (14th at MU), scored 74 runs, slugged .777 (1st at MU) and had a .474 on base percentage (4th at MU). The Herd went 20-1 at home, a winning percentage of .952, an all-time Marshall record.
In just 33 games in 2021, Marshall hit 60 doubles and 50 home runs. The Herd ranked seventh in the nation in doubles per game (1.82), 12th in home runs per game (1.52) and 16th in slugging percentage (.538). Three of Marshall’s best hitter landed All-Conference USA selections in Harrell, Stevenson and Saige Pye. Harrell and Pye were also both named All-Region.
In Lyon’s second season, Marshall was off to a record-breaking start offensively in 2020 before the year came to an abrupt end after 25 games, due to the cancellation of the season from the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. The Herd was on pace to eclipse records that were set just the season before. As a team Marshall was batting .357, slugging .643, an on base percentage of .440, and was leading the nation in home runs per game with 1.92 (48 total). The offensive onslaught started from the beginning of the year and picked up pace during the Pirate Classic (Feb. 28-March 1) as Marshall blasted 15 home runs in five games. The Herd tied its single-game record of five home runs twice. The first time came against the Delaware State Hornets (Feb. 28) and then at No. 11 Kentucky (March 11). Marshall had eight wins by the mercy rule, tied for third-most in a season (2006) in team history.
Coach Lyon helped lead the Herd through one of its largest win-improvements in team history with an offensive explosion in a record-breaking season. Marshall tallied 17 more victories to finish 42-22 with a return trip to the Conference USA Championship game and a postseason invitation to the National Invitational Softball Championship.
During Lyon’s first season Marshall broke or tied a total of 30 records with most coming on the offensive side including most home runs (79), runs scored (339), doubles (83), slugging percentage (.489) RBI (312), total bases (785), walks (220) and hit-by-pitches (74). Several players also tied or broke a total of 15 records, some more than a decade old. Sophomore Aly Harrell, freshman Mya Stevenson and juniors Blakely Burch and Sierra Huerta ranked among the nation’s best in several offensive categories. Harrell led the country in total walks (68) and combined free passes (85, 68 walks and 17 HBPs) while Huerta led the nation in hit-by-pitches (30) with the 12th best total in NCAA history. Stevenson led all freshmen in the NCAA in home runs with 20. Marshall's offense scored five or more runs in 35 games.
Lyon joined the Thundering Herd after four seasons as the head coach at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The Warhawks totaled 111 wins, including two 30-win seasons, during his time at the helm. Under his direction, the Warhawks had ten players named to All-Sun Belt Conference teams, two honored as NFCA All-Region and six players chosen by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association for All-Louisiana recognition. In 2015 and 2016 UL-Monroe was honored with the Sun Belt Conference Team GPA Award.
"I am very excited to be joining coach Smith at Marshall," Lyon said. "Marshall has a great softball culture and tradition. I am very humbled and honored to be a part of the Herd family."
UL-Monroe's offense saw several records broken in Lyon's tenure including team batting average, RBI in a season, runs scored in a season, hit-by-pitches in a season, team slugging percentage, on base percentage and most runs scored in a game. By the end of the 2018 season, the Warhawks finished in the top 30 in the nation in batting average, scoring and stolen bases.
In 2015, the Warhawks recorded 143 stolen bases and finished second in nation just 10 steals behind the Herd for the top spot.
"I am thrilled to welcome Corey to the Herd," coach Smith said. "He is a successful and experienced coach who has a proven track record of building great relationships with players and developing dynamic hitters. I am looking forward to seeing the impact he will have on our offense."
Prior to his days in Monroe, La., Lyon coached at Southern Arkansas University (2011-14) and led the program to its first winning season in nine years. His 90 wins in three years was the most in program history over a three-year span. The Lady Muleriders set 31 school records and won the 2014 Great American Conference Tournament to qualify for the first Division II NCAA Tournament in program history.
Previous coaching experience also included four seasons at Paris Junior College (Texas), where Lyon compiled a 125-52 record.
Lyon received his B.S.E. in elementary education from Newman (Kan.) University in 1995 and his M.A. in school leadership from Baker (Kan.) University in 2005. He has three daughters, Cheyanne, Carson and Ciarra.
Lyon and head coach Megan Smith, married on May 22, 2020.
Lyon’s tenure with Marshall has been a display in power hitting fireworks.The 2023 Herd led the Sun Belt Conference in batting average (.333), OBP (.421), scoring (6.42 runs per game), triples per game (0.35), walks (201). The Herd saw the league's top two batting average leaders with Autumn Owen and Alex Coleman. Owen was the league's triple crown winner, leading the SBC in average (.444), home runs (19), and runs batted in (71).
Over the previous four seasons, from 2021-23 the Herd has mashed 252 home runs (63.00 per season) and 273 doubles (68.25 per season) in just 175 games. That is an average of 1.44 bombs per game and 1.56 doubles per game. Aly Harrell and Mya Stevenson were in a friendly race in the team home run charts, chasing four-time All-American Rachel Folden. Stevenson won the race and broke Folden's record when Stevenson belted her 59th career bomb in a comeback win over Charlotte in the Conference USA Tournament. Over the last four years, Marshall has scored a total of 1,043 runs, an average of 5.96 per game, as well as a team slugging percentage of .541.
Getting back to a full season in 2022, the Herd was back over 30 wins again with 35, and right back to setting records. Marshall ranked in the top 20 in the nation in seven different categories (also led the league in the same) ranking eighth in doubles per game (1.68), eighth in on base percentage (.412), 12th in batting average (.321), 13th in slugging percentage (.554), 14th in doubles (89), 16th in runs per game (6.13) and 19th in home runs per game (1.42). The Herd broke or tied 19 total records. As a team, the Herd set the all-time single-season program highs for slugging percentage, on base percentage and doubles. Single-game marks that fell this season were the most doubles in a game with seven vs. Middle Tennessee (3/27), hits in a single inning with 10 against Purdue Fort Wayne (3/3), hit-by-pitches with five vs. Howard (2/26) and tied the record for most hits in a game with 19 against Charlotte (4/2). Saige Pye tied the season record for home runs with 20 while Aly Harrell set the mark for on base percentage (.606) and was second in the NCAA in on base percentage only trailing Jocelyn Alo (.646). In three years with Marshall, Saige Pye thrived under Coach Lyon after she transferred from Georgia Tech. Pye's career at Marshall lasted just 103 games however she bat .398 (4th at MU), had 130 hits, 34 home runs (5th at MU), 102 RBI (14th at MU), scored 74 runs, slugged .777 (1st at MU) and had a .474 on base percentage (4th at MU). The Herd went 20-1 at home, a winning percentage of .952, an all-time Marshall record.
In just 33 games in 2021, Marshall hit 60 doubles and 50 home runs. The Herd ranked seventh in the nation in doubles per game (1.82), 12th in home runs per game (1.52) and 16th in slugging percentage (.538). Three of Marshall’s best hitter landed All-Conference USA selections in Harrell, Stevenson and Saige Pye. Harrell and Pye were also both named All-Region.
In Lyon’s second season, Marshall was off to a record-breaking start offensively in 2020 before the year came to an abrupt end after 25 games, due to the cancellation of the season from the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. The Herd was on pace to eclipse records that were set just the season before. As a team Marshall was batting .357, slugging .643, an on base percentage of .440, and was leading the nation in home runs per game with 1.92 (48 total). The offensive onslaught started from the beginning of the year and picked up pace during the Pirate Classic (Feb. 28-March 1) as Marshall blasted 15 home runs in five games. The Herd tied its single-game record of five home runs twice. The first time came against the Delaware State Hornets (Feb. 28) and then at No. 11 Kentucky (March 11). Marshall had eight wins by the mercy rule, tied for third-most in a season (2006) in team history.
Coach Lyon helped lead the Herd through one of its largest win-improvements in team history with an offensive explosion in a record-breaking season. Marshall tallied 17 more victories to finish 42-22 with a return trip to the Conference USA Championship game and a postseason invitation to the National Invitational Softball Championship.
During Lyon’s first season Marshall broke or tied a total of 30 records with most coming on the offensive side including most home runs (79), runs scored (339), doubles (83), slugging percentage (.489) RBI (312), total bases (785), walks (220) and hit-by-pitches (74). Several players also tied or broke a total of 15 records, some more than a decade old. Sophomore Aly Harrell, freshman Mya Stevenson and juniors Blakely Burch and Sierra Huerta ranked among the nation’s best in several offensive categories. Harrell led the country in total walks (68) and combined free passes (85, 68 walks and 17 HBPs) while Huerta led the nation in hit-by-pitches (30) with the 12th best total in NCAA history. Stevenson led all freshmen in the NCAA in home runs with 20. Marshall's offense scored five or more runs in 35 games.
Lyon joined the Thundering Herd after four seasons as the head coach at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The Warhawks totaled 111 wins, including two 30-win seasons, during his time at the helm. Under his direction, the Warhawks had ten players named to All-Sun Belt Conference teams, two honored as NFCA All-Region and six players chosen by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association for All-Louisiana recognition. In 2015 and 2016 UL-Monroe was honored with the Sun Belt Conference Team GPA Award.
"I am very excited to be joining coach Smith at Marshall," Lyon said. "Marshall has a great softball culture and tradition. I am very humbled and honored to be a part of the Herd family."
UL-Monroe's offense saw several records broken in Lyon's tenure including team batting average, RBI in a season, runs scored in a season, hit-by-pitches in a season, team slugging percentage, on base percentage and most runs scored in a game. By the end of the 2018 season, the Warhawks finished in the top 30 in the nation in batting average, scoring and stolen bases.
In 2015, the Warhawks recorded 143 stolen bases and finished second in nation just 10 steals behind the Herd for the top spot.
"I am thrilled to welcome Corey to the Herd," coach Smith said. "He is a successful and experienced coach who has a proven track record of building great relationships with players and developing dynamic hitters. I am looking forward to seeing the impact he will have on our offense."
Prior to his days in Monroe, La., Lyon coached at Southern Arkansas University (2011-14) and led the program to its first winning season in nine years. His 90 wins in three years was the most in program history over a three-year span. The Lady Muleriders set 31 school records and won the 2014 Great American Conference Tournament to qualify for the first Division II NCAA Tournament in program history.
Previous coaching experience also included four seasons at Paris Junior College (Texas), where Lyon compiled a 125-52 record.
Lyon received his B.S.E. in elementary education from Newman (Kan.) University in 1995 and his M.A. in school leadership from Baker (Kan.) University in 2005. He has three daughters, Cheyanne, Carson and Ciarra.
Lyon and head coach Megan Smith, married on May 22, 2020.
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